National Farmers Union 2011 Convention Sets Priorities

For Immediate Release: Contact: 202-554-1600NFU Concludes 109th Annual Convention
National Farmers Union (NFU) adjourned its 109th annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. More than 500 Farmers Union members from across the country gathered to celebrate the past year’s achievements, look ahead to future challenges, and vote on the farm organization’s priorities for the coming year.
“This was a very exciting convention,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We dealt with a wide variety of issues, from the 2012 Farm Bill to conservation to the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule to biotechnology and trade. Our members made their voices heard and set the policy that they want us to advocate for in the coming year.”
The convention also featured numerous speakers, including U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager, former Sen. Byron Dorgan and former Texas Ag Commissioner Jim Hightower. Convention attendees also had the opportunity to hear from speaker panels on various topics.

“It’s extremely important to be as informed as possible when making policy choices,” said Johnson. “We were very pleased with the speaker panels we had on 2012 Farm Bill, biotechnology, trade, and sustainability. The experts on those panels did a great job of helping our members understand the intricacies of agriculture policy and make good decisions on what our top priorities should be in the coming year.”

National Farmers Union has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership.

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